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Early Neurological Stimulation
By
Dr. Carmen L. Battaglia
Surprising as it may seem, it isn't capacity that explains the differences that exist
between individuals because most seem to have far more capacity than they will ever
use. The differences that exist between individuals seem to be related to something else.
The ones who achieve and outperform others s eem to have within themselves the ability
to use hidden resources. In other words, it's what they are able to do with what they
have that makes the difference.
In many animal breeding programs, the entire process of selection and management is
founded on the belief that perfor mance is inherited. Attempts to analyze the genetics of
performance in a systematic way have involved some distinguished names such as
Charles Darwin and Francis Galton. But it has only been in recent decades that good
estimates of heritability of performan ce have been based on adequate data.
Cunningham, (1991) in his study of horses, found that only by using Timeform data,
and measuring groups of half brothers and half sisters could good estimates of
performance be determined. His data show s that performance for speed is about 35%
heritable. In other words, only about 35% of all the variation that is observed in track
performance is controlled by heritable factors, the remaining 65% is attributable to
other influences, such as training, management and nutrition. Cunningham's work
while limited to horses, provides a good basis for understanding how much breeders can
attribute to the genetics and the pedigrees.
Researchers have studied these phenomena and have looked for new ways to stimulate
individuals in order to improve their natura l abilities. Some of the methods discovered
have produced life long lasting effects. Today many of the differences between
individuals can now be explained by th e use of early stimulation methods.
Introduction
Man for centuries has tried various methods to improve performance. Some of the
methods have stood the test of time, others have not. Those who first conducted
research on this topic believed that the period of early age was a most important time
for stimulation because of its rapid growth and development. Today, we know that
early life is a time when the physical immaturity of an organism is susceptible and
responsive to a restricted but important class of stimuli. Because of its importance
many studies have focused their efforts on the first few months of life.
Newborn pups are uniquely differe nt from adults in several respects. When born, their
eyes are closed and their digestive system has a limited capacity requiring periodic
stimulation by their dam who ro utinely licks them in order to promote digestion. At
this age they are only able to smell, suck, and crawl. Body temperature is maintained
by snuggling close to their mother or by cra wling into piles with other littermates.
During these first few weeks of immobility, researchers noted that these immature and
under-developed canines are sensitive to a restricted class of stimuli which includes
thermal and tactile stimulatio n, motion and locomotion.
Other mammals such as mice and rats are also born with limitations, and they also have
been found to demonstrate a similar sensitivity to the effects of early stimulation.
Studies show that removing th em from their nest for three minutes each day during the
first five to ten days of life causes body te mperatures to fall below normal. This mild
form of stress is sufficient to stimulate hormonal, adrenal and pituitary systems. When
tested later as adults, these same animals were better able to withstand stress than
littermates who were not exposed to the same early stress exercises. As adults, they
responded to stress in "a graded" fashion, while their non-stressed littermates
responded in an "all or nothing way."
Data involving laboratory mice and rats also shows that stress in small amounts can
produce adults who respond maximally. On the other hand, the results gathered from
non-stressed littermate show that they become easily exhausted and are near death if
exposed to intense prolonged stress. When tied down so they were unable to move for
twenty-four hours, rats developed severe stomach ulcers, but litter mates exposed to
early stress handling were found to be more re sistant to stress tests and did not show
evidence of ulcers. A secondary affect was also noticed.
Sexual maturity was attained sooner in the littermates given early stress exercises.
When tested for differences in health and disease, the stressed animals were found to be
more resistant to certain forms of cancer and infectious diseases and could withstand
terminal starvation and exposure to cold for longer periods than their non-stressed
littermates.
Other studies involving early stimulation exerc ises have been successfully performed on
both cats and dogs. In these studies, the Electrical Encephalogram (EEG) was found to
be ideal for measuring the electrical activity in the brain b ecause of its extreme
sensitivity to changes in excitement, emotional stress, muscle tension, changes in oxygen
and breathing. EEG measures show that pups and kittens when given early stimulation
exercises mature at faster rates and perform better in certain problem solving tests than
non-stimulated mates.
In the higher level animals the effect of early stimulation exercises have also been
studied. The use of surrogate mothers and familiar objects were tested by both of the
Kelloggs and Dr. Yearkes using young chimpanzees. Their pioneer research shows that
the more primates were deprived of stimulation and interaction during early
development, the less able they were to cope , adjust and later adapt to situations as
adults.
While experiments have not yet produced specific information about the optimal
amounts of stress needed to make young animals psychologically or physiologically
superior, researchers agree that stress has value . What also is known is that a certain
amount of stress for one may be too intense for another, and that too much stress can
retard development. The results show that ea rly stimulation exercises can have positive
results but must be used with caution. In other words, too much stress can cause
pathological adversities rather than physical or psychological superiority.
Methods of Stimulation
The U.S. Military in their canine program developed a method that still serves as a
guide to what works. In an effort to impr ove the performance of dogs used for military
purposes, a program called "Bio Sensor" was de veloped. Later, it became known to the
public as the "Super Dog" Program. Based on years of research, the military learned
that early neurological stimulation exercises co uld have important and lasting effects.
Their studies confirmed that there are specific time periods early in life when
neurological stimulation has optimum results. The first period involves a window of
time that begins at the third day of life and lasts until the si xteenth day. It is believed
that because this interval of time is a period of ra pid neurological growth and
development, and therefore is of great importance to the individual.
The "Bio Sensor" program was also concerned with early neurological stimulation in
order to give the dog a superior advantage. Its development utilized six exercises which
were designed to stimulate the neurological system. Each workout involved handling
puppies once each day. The workouts requi red handling them one at a time while
performing a series of five exercises. Listed in order of preference, the handler starts
with one pup and stimulates it using each of the five exercises. The handler completes
the series from beginning to end before star ting with the next pup. The handling of
each pup once per day involves the following exercises:
1. Tactical stimulation (between toes)
2. Head held erect
3. Head pointed down
4. Supine position
5. Thermal stimulation.
Tactile stimulation
1. Tactile stimulation - hold ing the pup in one hand, the handler gently stimulates
(tickles) the pup between the toes on any one f oot using a Q-tip. It is not necessary to
see that the pup is feeling the tickle. Time of st imulation 3 - 5 seconds. (Figure 1)
2. Head held erect - using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground,
(straight up), so that its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards position.
Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds (Figure 2).
3. Head pointed down - holding the pup firmly with both hands the head is reversed
and is pointed downward so that it is pointing towards the ground. Time of stimulation
3 - 5 seconds (Figure 3).
4. Supine position - hold the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands
with its muzzle facing the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep. Time of
stimulation 3-5 seconds. (Figure 4)
5. Thermal stimulation—use a damp towel that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at
least five minutes. Place the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from
moving. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds. (Figure 5)
These five exercises will produce neurological stimulations, none of which naturally
occur during this early period of life. Exp erience shows that sometimes pups will resist
these exercises, others will appear unconcerned. In either case a caution is offered to
those who plan to use them. Do not repeat them more than once per day and do not
extend the time beyond that recommended for each exercise. Over stimulation of the
neurological system can have adverse and detr imental results. These exercises impact
the neurological system by kicking it into action earlier than would be normally
expected, the result being an increased capa city that later will help to make the
difference in its performance. Those who play with their pups and routinely handle
them should continue to do so because th e neurological exercises are not substitutions
for routine handling, play socialization or bonding.
Benefits of Stimulation
Five benefits have been observed in canines that were exposed to the Bio Sensor
stimulation exercises. The benefits noted were:
1. Improved cardio vascular performance (heart rate)
2. Stronger heart beats,
3. Stronger adrenal glands,
4. More tolerance to stress, and
5. Greater resistance to disease.
In tests of learning, stimulated pups were found to be more active and were more
exploratory than their non- stimulated littermates over which they were dominant in
competitive situations.
Secondary effects were also noted regarding test performance. In simple problem
solving tests using detours in a maze, the non-stimulat ed pups became extremely
aroused, whined a great deal, and made many errors. Their stimulated littermates were
less disturbed or upset by test conditio ns and when comparisons were made, the
stimulated littermates were more calm in th e test environment, made fewer errors and
gave only an occasional distress sound when stressed.
Socialization
As each animal grows and develops, three kinds of stimulation have been identified that
impact and influence how it will develop and be shaped as an individual. The first stage
is called early neurological stimulation and the second stage is called socialization. The
first two (early neurological stimulation and socialization) have in common a window of
limited time. When Lorenz, (1935) first wrote about the importance of the stimulation
process, he wrote about imprinting during early life and its influence on the later
development of the individual. He states that it was different from conditioning in that
it occurred early in life and took place very rapidly producing results which seemed to
be permanent. One of the first and perhaps the most noted research effort involving the
larger animals was achieved by Kellogg & Kellogg (1933). As a student of Dr.
Kellogg's, I found him and his wife to have an uncanny interest in children and young
animals and the changes and the differences that occurred during early development.
Their history-making study involved raising their own newborn child with a newborn
primate. Both infants were raised together as if they were twins. This study, like others
that followed attempted to demonstrat e that among the ma mmals, there are great
differences in their speed of physical and ment al development. Some are born relatively
mature and quickly capable of motion and locomotion, while others are very immature,
immobile and slow to develop. For exam ple, the Rhesus monkey shows rapid and
precocious development at birth, while the chimpanzee and the other "great apes" take
much longer. Last and slowest is the human infant.
One of the earliest efforts to investigate and look for the existence of socialization in
canines was undertaken by Scott-Fuller (1965). In their early studies, they were able to
demonstrate that the basic technique for testing the existence of socialization was to
show how readily adult animals would foster young animals, or accept one from
another species. They observed that, with the higher level animals, it is easiest done by
hand rearing. When the foster animal transfers its social relationships to the new
species, researchers conclude that socialization has taken place. Most researchers agree
that among all species, a lack of adequate socialization generally results in unacceptable
behavior and often times produces undesira ble aggression, excessiveness, fearfulness,
sexual inadequacy and indifference toward partners.
Socialization studies confirm that one of the critical periods for humans (infant) to be
stimulated are generally between three weeks and twelve months of age. For canines
the period is shorter, between the fourth and sixteenth weeks of age. The lack of
adequate social stimulation, such as handling, mothering and contact with others,
adversely affects social and psychological deve lopment in both humans and animals. In
humans, the absence of love and cuddling increa ses the risk of an aloof, distant, asocial
or sociopathic individual. Over-mothering also has its detrimental effects by preventing
sufficient exposure to other individuals and si tuations that have an important influence
on growth and development. It occurs when a parent insulates the child from outside
contacts or keeps the apron strings tight, thus limiting opportunities to explore and
interact with the outside world. In th e end, over-mothering generally produces a
dependent, socially maladjusted and sometimes emotionally disturbed individual.
Protected youngsters who grow up in an insulated environment often become sickly,
despondent, lacking in flexibility and unable to make simp le social adjustments.
Generally, they are unable to function productively or to interact successfully when
they become adults.
Owners who have busy life styles with long and tiring work and social schedules often
cause pets to be neglected. Left to themselves with only an occasi onal trip out of the
house or off of the property they seldom s ee other canines or strangers and generally
suffer from poor stimulation and socialization. For many, the side effects of loneliness
and boredom set-in. The resulting behavior manifests itself in the form of chewing,
digging, and hard- to-control behavior (Battaglia).
It seems clear that small amounts of stress followed by early socialization can produce
beneficial results. The danger seems to be in not knowing where the thresholds are for
over and under stimulation. Many improperly socialized youngsters develop into older
individuals unprepared for adult life, una ble to cope with its challenges, and
interactions. Attempts to re-socialize them as adults have only produced small gains.
These failures confirm the notion that the wi ndow of time open for early neurological
and social stimulation only come s once. After it passes, little or nothing can be done to
overcome the negative effects of too much or too little stimulation.
The third and final stage in the process of growth and development is called
enrichment. Unlike the first two stages it has no time limit, and by comparison, covers
a very long period of time. Enrichment is a term which has come to mean the positive
sum of experiences which have a cumulative effect upon the indi vidual. Enrichment
experiences typically involve exposure to a wide variety of interesting, novel, and
exciting experiences with regular opportunities to freely investi gate, manipulate, and
interact with them. When measured in later life, the results show that those reared in
an enriched environment tend to be more inquisitive and are more able to perform
difficult tasks. The educational TV program called “Sesame Street” is perhaps the best
known example of a children's enrichment program. The results show that when
tested, children who regularly watched this program performed better than playmates
who did not. Follow-up studies show that those who regularly watch “Sesame Street”
tend to seek a college education and when enrolled, performed better than playmates
who were not regular watchers of the “Sesame Street” program.
There are numerous children’s studies that show the benefits of enrichment techniques
and programs. Most focus on improving self-esteem and self-talk. Follow-up studies
show that the enriched “Sesame Street” students, when later tested were brighter and
scored above average, and most often were found to be the products of environments
that contributed to their superior test scores. On the other hand, those whose test
scores were generally below average, (labeled as dull) and the products of
underprivileged or non- enriched environments, often had little or only small amounts
of stimulation during early childhood and only minimal amounts of enrichment during
their developmental and formative years. Many were characterized as children who
grew up with little interaction with others , poor parenting, few toys, no books and a
steady diet of TV soap operas.
A similar analogy can be found among canines. All the time they are growing they are
learning because their nervous systems are developing and storing information that
may be of inestimable use at a later date. Studies by Scott and Fuller confirm that non-enriched pups, when given free choice, preferred to stay in their kennels. Other litter
mates who were given only small amounts of outside stimulation between five and eight
weeks of age were found to be very inquisi tive and very active. When kennel doors
were left open, the enriched pups would come bounding out while littermates who were
not exposed to enrichment would remain behind. The non-stimulated pups would
typically be fearful of unfamiliar objects and generally preferred to withdraw rather
than investigate. Even well-bred pups of superior pedigrees would not explore or leave
their kennels, and many were found difficult to train as adults. These pups, in many
respects, were similar to the deprived children. They acted as if they had become
institutionalized, preferring the routine and safe environment of their kennel to the
stimulating world outside their immediate place of residence.
Regular trips to the park, shopping centers and obedience and agility classes serve as
good examples of enrichment activities. Chasing and retrieving a ball on the surface
seems to be enriching because it provides exercise and includes rewards. While
repeated attempts to retrieve a ball provide much physical activity, it should not be
confused with enrichment exercises. Such playful activities should be used for exercise
and play or as a reward after returning from a trip or training session. Road work and
chasing balls are not substitutes for trips to the shopping mall, outings or obedience
classes most of which provide many opportunities for interaction and investigation.
Finally, it seems clear that stress early in life can produce beneficial results. The danger
seems to be in not knowing where the thresholds are for over and under stimulation.
The absence or the lack of adequate amounts of stimulation generally will produce
negative and undesirable results. Based on the above, it is fair to say that the
performance of most individuals can be improved, including the techniques described
above. Each contributes in a cumulative way and supports the next stage of
development.
Conclusion
Breeders can now take advantage of the information available to improve and enhance
performance. Generally, genetics account for about 35% of the performance, but the
remaining 65% (management, training, nutrition) can make the difference. In the
management category, it has been shown that breeders should be guided by the rule
that it is generally consid ered prudent to guard against under and over stimulation.
Short of ignoring pups during their first two months of life, a conservative approach
would be to expose them to children, people, toys and other animals on a regular basis.
Handling and touching all parts of their anatomy is also a necessary part of their
learning which can be started as early as th e third day of life. Pups that are handled
early and on a regular basis generally do not become hand-shy as adults.
Because of the risks involved in under-stimulation, a conservative approach to using the
benefits of the three stages has been suggested based primarily on the works of
Arskeusky, Kellogg, Yearkes and the "Bio Sensor" program (later known as the "Super
Dog Program").
Both experience and research have dominated th e beneficial effects that can be achieved
via early neurological stimulat ion, socialization and enrichment experiences. Each has
been used to improve performance and to explain the differences that occur between
individuals, their trainability, health and pote ntial. The cumulative effects of the three
stages have been well documented. They best serve the interests of owners who seek
high levels of performance when properly used. Each has a cumulative effect and
contributes to the development and the potential for individual performance.
References:
1. Battaglia, C.L., "Loneliness and Boredom" Doberman Quarterly, 1982.
2. Kellogg, W.N. & Kellogg, The Ape and the Child , New York: McGraw Hill.
3. Scott & Fuller, (1965) Dog Behavior -The Genetic Basics, University Chicago
Press.
4. Scott, J.P., Ross, S., A.E. and King D.K. (1959) The Effects of Early Enforced
Weaning Behavior of Puppies, J. Genetics Psychologist, p 5: 261-81.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carmen L Battaglia holds a Ph.D. and Masters Degree from Florida State University. As
an AKC judge, researcher and writer, he has been a leader in promotion of breeding
better dogs and has written many articles and several books.
Dr. Battaglia is also a popular TV and radio talk show speaker. His seminars on breeding
dogs, selecting sires and choosing puppies have been well received by the breed clubs all
over the country. Those interested in learning more about his seminars should contact him
directly. Visit his website at
http://www.breedingbetterdogs.com 
